Kosuke Hagino: I Want Ryan Lochte’s 400 IM Short Course World Record

TOKYO – The 32 athletes who will represent Japan at next month’s short course world championships are wrapping up a training camp in Tokyo that featured a comment from Asian Games star Kosuke Hagino that he’s going after Ryan Lochte’s 400 IM world record.

In meeting with the media, Hagino said “You have to be especially aware of your technique, especially the turns” in short course racing, but was optimistic that he can challenge Lochte’s four-year-old world mark of 3:55.50. Hagino posted a 3:56.48 last year in the event, but will go into worlds without having raced a short course 400 IM in 2014. He’ll be pushed by countryman Daiya Seto, the reigning world champion in both short course and long course.

Below are a few photos from the media day at the training camp, featuring Hagino, Ryosuke Irie and Kanako Watanabe.

Photo Courtesy: Tobiuo Japan

Photo Courtesy: Tobiuo Japan

Photo Courtesy: Tobiuo Japan

The training camp was full of smiling athletes, as judged by these photos.

Photo Courtesy: Tobiuo Japan

Photo Courtesy: Tobiuo Japan

Photo Courtesy: Tobiuo Japan

Photo Courtesy: Tobiuo Japan

Below is Japan’s full roster for the short course world championships.

Author: Jeff Commings

Jeff Commings is the Senior Writer for SwimmingWorld.com and Swimming World Magazine. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism and was a nine-time NCAA All-American.